Physiological and Environmental Monitoring Systems and Methods

• US 20110098112A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jesse Berkley Tucker, Michael Edward Aumer, Steven Francis LeBoeuf
• Original Assignee: Jesse Berkley Tucker, Michael Edward Aumer, Steven Francis LeBoeuf
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Aumer, Michael Edward, Tucker, Jesse Berkley
• Application Number:
  US12/985,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 : for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 : for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 : for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 : using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 : Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 : Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 : Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 : the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 : lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 : Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 : Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 : Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 : Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 : Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 : Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 : mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 : of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/721 : using a separate sensor to detect motion or using motion information derived from signals other than the physiological signal to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 : Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 : Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 : Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 : Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 : Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring various physiological and environmental factors, as well as systems and methods for using this information for a plurality of useful purposes, are provided. Real-time, noninvasive health and environmental monitors include a plurality of compact sensors integrated within small, low-profile devices. Physiological and environmental data is collected and wirelessly transmitted into a wireless network, where the data is stored and/or processed. This information is then used to support a variety of useful methods, such as clinical trials, marketing studies, biofeedback, entertainment, and others.

Claims

1-89. -89. (canceled)

90. An entertainment system, comprising:

a gaming device; and

a plurality of portable monitoring apparatuses in communication with the gaming device, wherein each portable monitoring apparatus is associated with a respective person and is configured to transmit physiological information from the respective person and/or environmental information in a vicinity of the respective person to the gaming device;

wherein the gaming device is configured to display physiological information and/or environmental information received from each monitoring apparatus.

91. The system of claim 90, wherein each portable monitoring apparatus comprises a housing, at least one physiological sensor attached to the housing and/or at least one environmental sensor attached to the housing, wherein each physiological sensor is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from a respective person, and wherein each environmental sensor is configured to detect and/or measure environmental conditions in a vicinity of the respective person.

99. The system of claim 90, wherein each portable monitoring device further comprises a motion sensor that measures body motion of a respective person, and a processor that removes corrupted signals associated with body motion of the person from the physiological and environmental information.

100. The system of claim 99, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of accelerometers, acoustic sensors, MEMS motion sensors, optical sensors and gyroscopes.

101. The system of claim 90, wherein each portable monitoring device is an earpiece module.

92. An entertainment system, comprising:

a gaming device; and

a plurality of portable, monitoring apparatuses in communication with the gaming device, wherein each portable monitoring apparatus is associated with a respective person and is configured to transmit physiological information from the respective person and/or environmental information in a vicinity of the respective person wirelessly to the gaming device;

wherein the gaming device is configured to integrate into the gaming strategy physiological information and/or environmental information received from each monitoring apparatus.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein each monitoring apparatus comprises a housing, at least one physiological sensor attached to the housing and/or at least one environmental sensor attached to the housing, wherein each physiological sensor is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from a respective person, and wherein each environmental sensor is configured to detect and/or measure environmental conditions in a vicinity of the respective person.

94. The system of claim 92 wherein each portable monitoring apparatus is configured to be worn on or around the ear.

102. The system of claim 92, wherein each portable monitoring device further comprises a motion sensor that measures body motion of a respective person, and a processor that removes corrupted signals associated with body motion of the person from the physiological and environmental information.

103. The system of claim 102, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of accelerometers, acoustic sensors, MEMS motion sensors, optical sensors and gyroscopes.

104. The system of claim 92, wherein each portable monitoring device is an earpiece module.

95. A method of interacting with an electronic game, comprising:

collecting physiological and/or environmental information from a monitoring device associated with a person, wherein the monitoring device includes at least one physiological sensor and/or environmental sensor, wherein each physiological sensor is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the person, and wherein each environmental sensor is configured to detect and/or measure environmental conditions in a vicinity of the person;

analyzing the collected information to identify one or more health and/or environmental issues associated with the person;

sending the identified one or more health and/or environmental issues to a gaming device; and

incorporating the identified one or more health and/or environmental issues into a strategy of a game executing on the gaming device.

96. The method of claim 95, further comprising creating a gaming character based on the person using the identified one or more health and/or environmental issues.

97. The method of claim 95, further comprising providing biofeedback to the person for improving at least one skill associated with the electronic game.

105. The method of claim 95, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a motion sensor that measures body motion of the person, and a processor that removes corrupted signals associated with body motion of the person from the physiological and environmental information.

106. The method of claim 105, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of accelerometers, acoustic sensors, MEMS motion sensors, optical sensors and gyroscopes.

107. The method of claim 95, wherein the monitoring device is an earpiece module.

98. (canceled)